


Morning Rituals

by Ilyushka



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, M/M, Morning Routines, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-23 00:37:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18538729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilyushka/pseuds/Ilyushka
Summary: You return the smile, the curving of your lips obscured by your mug of coffee. But it doesn’t hide the way your eyes crinkle at the corners. You could stare at him all day if time would allow it and by the way he gazes at you, you figure he feels the same way.





	Morning Rituals

**Author's Note:**

> This is just super self indulgent and kinda just me dealing with trying to quit smoking bc I really miss waking up for have a nutritious breakfast of cancer and coffee. Don’t smoke kiddos

No words are needed to express your love for the man beside you. It seeps through you like a slowly spreading warmth. It swirls alongside the smoke that fills your lungs and spreads through you like the warmth of your morning coffee. You flick the ash off the end of your cigarette into the ashtray between the two of you. Turning, you cast your gaze to him, eyes rolling over him to carefully observe him. 

 

He looks tired, eyes heavy as he stares absently off into the distance. There aren’t many people up and about yet, the city of Vesuvia still slumbering around you as you completed your morning ritual. A cigarette and a cup of coffee in each others company. It was rare that you exchanged many words in these moments as you allowed yourselves to wake. Words saved for when your cups had been drained and the butts of your cigarettes sat discarded in your ashtray. 

 

You watch as he brings the cigarette to his lips, inhaling deeply before exhaling a cloud of bitter smoke into the morning air. When he catches your gaze, he turns to look at you, flashing you a small smile. You return the smile, the curving of your lips obscured by your mug of coffee. But it doesn’t hide the way your eyes crinkle at the corners. You could stare at him all day if time would allow it and by the way he gazes at you, you figure he feels the same way. 

 

There was something about this messy just woken up Julian that made your heart sing. He's dressed only in his slacks and shirt with his hair still a mess, sticking up this way and that. As much as you loved his flair for the dramatics, seeing him like this was one of your favorite things. It was a side of Julian that you didn’t think many people got to see. It made these moments feel all that much more intimate.

 

“I ever tell you how much I love your coffee?” You ask, your voice a soft murmur. Your gaze lingers on him only for a moment more before you’re attention shifts to some passerby. You sip from your half empty mug, savoring the smooth taste of coffee and cream before taking a drag off your cigarette. The two tastes swirling in your mouth with such strong contrasts. 

 

“Every day, Darling.” Julian hums softly as he presses out his own cigarette. A chuckle rumbles through his chest as he sips from his black coffee. “It’s nothing special you know, I think you just like it because you don’t make it.”

 

“Maybe,” You shrug your shoulders with a laugh. He was probably on to something there, but you liked to think that his coffee was better. “But it’s still the best coffee I’ve had.”

 

Julian rolls his eyes fondly, shaking his head as he gets to his feet. He waits there for you as you stub out your cigarette. With your coffees nearly finished and cigarettes smoked, you rise to your feet ready to tackle whatever the day has in store for the two of you.

  
  



End file.
